Many years ago (over 20 ) when we first came to this region of France and our children were quite young we were always looking for a good local lake or river for bathing in the summer. In those days we did not have the internet and so we collected leaflets from the tourist info places and kept our eyes peeled whilst driving about. Below is St Martin L’Ars on a grey day in August.

We found a few and probably in those days the one at Chateau Garnier was our favourite. It is now just a fishing lake and the swimming is no longer an option. So now the Plan d’Eau at St Macoux is favourite.

What I want to do is compile a list of suitable places so that next summer on this site there will be and extensive list of all the venues where you can take your children/grandchildren on a hot summers day

So now its over to you, please let me know where all these places are, along with what facilities they have, ie restaurant, pedalos, fishing, water slide, Teepees, Climbing walls,and such like.

I have quite an extensive list from personal experience and I have a lot more by looking up stuff on the internet but I would like my list to be complete and personal. There is a great one at St Vallier near Brossac which we visited many times because my parents in law had a house there for some time in the 1990’s.

So do let me know what you think about the venues in your area. Thank you.

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12 thoughts on “Where are the Plan d’Eau in Poitou-Charentes ?”

Grande Plage de La Guerlie near Massignac is a lovely lake for swimming with a beach, supervised swimming area, a cafe/shop and games area.
Try Vallee des Singes for a day out – no swimming but great value, It is well worth a visit. Great layout, wonderful open spaces for the animals and a pleasant walk.
Also Parthenay’s week of games near the end of July is another fun day out.
Lac du Cebron – not a swimming lake, more for bird enthusiasts but there is a swimming pool in the complex.

Hmm, thanks, several suggestions there. I have been to Vallee de Singes several times, lots of lakes there but perhaps best not to swim in them. It is though a very well laid out area and I think their motives are highly commendable. Only thing I do not like is that they force you to walk through the shop area in order to exit the complex, ( every parents nightmare)
I will add the Plan d’Eau onto my list and look into the Lac du Cebron as I am a keen bird watcher.

That’s a very good question. My husband and I love stopping at the Plans d’eau, as there is always free parking and almost always free overnight stopping for motorhomes. We check the map for the green diamond symbols for Country Parks or the ‘pleasure boats harbours’ on our Michelin Touring Atlas, which has served us very well over the years. Very often, we stop at Dompierre right on the river Charente, between Saintes and Cognac, where they still use the bac for vehicles to cross the river to Rouffiac. There are pedalos and canoes for hire outside the campiste, next to the landing bay.

We haven’t been ourselves, but Iooking at my map now, I can see sailing symbols at Plage de la Palmire on the west coast and in Royan and I am sure they’ll be worth a look.

There is also a diamond symbol at another Rouffiac south of St-Rieix-La-Perche, south of Limoges, just off the D704 and another at Vigeois, south of Uzerche. I know these are not really in Poitou-Charente, but still, not too far.

Generally speaking, we find that most Etangs offer some kind of water leisure activities and free parking and picnic areas and we tend to go for those. Let me know if you discover any new ones, as we love that area and always spend a few days there every Easter and summer.

We took the grandchildren to the lacs de Haute- Charente this year. ( Otherwise known as la Grande Plage de La Guerlie near Massignac!) Picnic area and grassy area, cafe and crazy golf, as well as the swimming. Big crowds there in mid-August!
In previous years we’ve been to St Martin l’Ars, St Macoux and Etagnac…. all of which, and I can’t say whether this is true or not, have had negative reports this year.

I enough St Macoux, but have now moved to North Deux Sevres. we still come under Poitou Charente, so would be interested to see some recommendations this area, with the “beaches” for swimming.
have been over to look at Verruyes, which looks good